From The College November/December 2005

The complete newsletter is available in PDF format, below.

Featured Article

Reception Yields More Sponsors for Arthritis Bill

The 2005 ACR Legislative Reception on September 21 was our most successful advocacy event to date. Over 40 physicians, health professionals and patients had an opportunity to take the ACR's message directly to Capitol Hill.These dedicated volunteers talked with over 80 Congressional staff and 6 Congressional representatives representing 25 states.

The Government Affairs Committee, chaired by Joseph Flood, MD, hosted the event, and was honored to have Representative Charles "Chip" Pickering (R-MS) serve as Congressional Sponsor for the reception. ACR President, Elizabeth A. Tindall, MD, participated in the event along with members of the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors. This event gave ACR leadership a firsthand opportunity to relay legislative and regulatory concerns to key health staff and members of Congress.

Most of the Congressional representatives at the event shared a common medical or scientific background. In attendance were Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), one of three registered nurses in Congress; Reps. Dave Weldon (R-FL) and Tim Murphy (R-PA), both physicians; Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) the "Dean of the House of Representatives" celebrating his 50th year in office; Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ) a scientist and Rep. John Boozman (R-AR), an optometrist and House Assistant Majority Whip. During the reception, Rep. Boozman decided to join Reps. Holt, McCarthy and Murphy as a co-sponsor of the Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act (H.R. 583/S. 424). Since the reception, five other House members have signed onto this legislation.

As part of the week's events, and to maximize time in Washington, members of the ARHP canvassed Capitol Hill, personally inviting members of Congress and leaving the ACR's "Facts at a Glance" information sheet with offices unable to attend. The ARHP and other volunteers visited over 350 offices during the visit.

The week's events culminated with a visit on Thursday to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). A delegation of ACR members representing the Government Affairs Committee, the Committee on Rheumatologic Care, the Regional Advisory Council and the Board of Directors met with Herb Kuhn, Director of the Center for Medicare Management and Dr. William Rogers, Physicians Regulatory Issues Team.

This group discussed issues facing rheumatology including quality measure's activities, proposed rheumatology demonstration project and fee schedule practice expense changes.

To find out more about the ACR's legislative issues, and to encourage your representative to sign on to the bill, visit the advocacy section of our Web site at www.rheumatology.org/advocacy and contact your representative through our Legislative Action Center.